But he said the former foreign secretary is not Islamophobic.

Home Secretary Sajid Javid has publicly rebuked Boris Johnson over his use of language in two controversial newspaper columns.

Appearing on the BBC’s Andrew Marr Show on Sunday, Javid criticised the former foreign secretary after he wrote in the Mail On Sunday that Theresa May had put the UK constitution in a “suicide vest” and handed the detonator to Brussels’ chief negotiator Michel Barnier.

Javid said it was clear Johnson held different opinions to the PM on Brexit.

“I think there are much better ways to articulate your differences,” he added.

“It’s a reminder for all of us in public policy, whichever party we represent, to use measured language because I think that’s what the public want to see.”

His comments were echoed by Communities Secretary James Brokenshire, who told Sky’s Sophy Ridge he thought Johnson had used the wrong “tone” in the article.

“I think he is wrong on this – I think the tone that he has used isn’t right and I think that we just need to be very focused on actually moving forward with the Chequers plan,” he added.

The intervention – regarded by some as a ‘dead cat’ strategy to distract from ructions in the Uxbridge MP’s private life – has caused deep divisions within the Conservative Party, with one MP telling him to “grow up”.

A suicide bomber murdered many in the courtyard of my office in Helmand. The carnage was disgusting, limbs and flesh hanging from trees and bushes. Brave men who stopped him killing me and others died In horrific pain. Some need to grow up. Comparing the PM to that isn’t funny. https://t.co/IeRWhmhgS9